Month: November 2007

Back in July, AmericanMuscle.com donated 5% of every sale on one day to Homes for Our Troops. HFOT is an organization that assists returning servicemen and women that have been severely injured as they selflessly serve our country. The organization, working with donations of money, building materials and professional labor, ­coordinates the process of building a new home or adapting an existing home for handicapped accessibility.

AmericanMuscle.com raised more than $2100 for Homes for Our Troops during the event. And Homes for Our Troops has been kind enough to keep us updated on ­where our donation was used.

On October 10, 2007, Homes for Our Troops held a ground-breaking ceremony in Plymouth, MA, at the site where a new handicapped accessible house would be built for SGT Brian Fountaine of the US Army.

SGT Brian Fountaine

US Army

SGT Fountaine, a 24-year-old tank commander from Dorchester, MA, lost both legs below the knee in June 2006, in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded under the vehicle he was riding in. Fountaine was a member of the First Brigade Combat Team of the Fourth Infantry Division and was serving his second tour of duty — a tour he volunteered for. During his first deployment, his unit came under attack almost daily from mortars and rifle fire, but Brian still volunteered for dangerous missions. The risk of permanent injury or death was huge, but SGT Fountaine said, "I was a soldier. I expected…either a loss of limb or a loss of life."

The explosion that detonated beneath the Humvee carrying SGT Fountaine was the fifth time that he had survived an IED. Though he survived, he knew this time would be different when he found himself in the dirt beside the truck, looking at his mangled feet and fractured legs.

"I knew I would become some sort of an amputee," said Fountaine, massaging the stumps of his legs, amputated 10 inches below the knees. ”I won’t be able to feel the grass between my feet or the sand under my toes, but the important thing is I still have my life."

SGT Fountaine still has his life, and is able to walk with the help of prosthetics, but he still needs to use his wheelchair when the prosthetics become too painful.

Because of this, and because of his enormous sacrifice and his willingness to volunteer himself for the most dangerous missions, Homes for Our Troops is in the process of building SGT Fountaine and his family a wheelchair accessible house. This new home — scheduled to be completed in March, 2008 — will allow him to deal with the many challenges that come with living with prosthetics and adjusting to a new way of life. His n­ew home in Plymouth, MA allows him the independence he fought for, while still being close to his family in Dorchester, MA.

The walls of SGT Brian Fountaine’s new home going up!

Looking more and more like a home.

We at AmericanMuscle.com are honored to have been able to contribute to both Homes for Our Troops and SGT Fountaine. We can think of no organization that deserves it more.

AmericanMuscle.com‘s first Trivia Contest has come to an end, and what a fantastic response! Participants were asked to answer 20 questions, for a chance to win three great prizes. We had more than 100 entries, and a good portion of them were 100% correct. The staff at AmericanMuscle.com randomly chose three (3) winners from the correct entries, and it’s time to let the world know who they are.

As Old Man Winter quickly inches closer, thoughts of staying warm are on everyone’s mind. I don’t know many people that like to drive with a bulky winter coat on, which is why these new AmericanMuscle sweatshirts are perfect!

Available in Black and Grey, these heavyweight, 100% Cotton sweatshirts are the perfect way to stay warm. Whether in class or on the job, in the car or on the couch, these sweatshirts are designed for maximum comfort in any environment. They feature the official AmericanMuscle.com logo on both the front and back, and are a great way to show your AmericanMuscle pride. And you can’t beat the prices! These are flying off the shelves, so get yours now!

And, while you’re picking up one of our sweatshirts, don’t forget to check out our ever-growing selection of Mustang T-Shirts for Men and Women. There’s something for everyone! T-shirts for the men, rompers for the babies, and tank tops for the babes. And much, much more! Check out the pics below for a sneak peek, and then come on over and see what else we’ve got!

Looking for the perfect gift for the Mustang lover in your life? Wanna show your Mustang love even when you’re not in your car? Now you can make a statement without saying a word with the latest in Mustang Jewelry from AmericanMuscle.com!

We offer several different styles of rings and necklaces for both men and women, and this Ford licensed jewelry is a must have for any die-hard Mustang fan.

Here’s a sneak peek at what we have!

Sterling Silver Mustang Ring — available in Men’s size 11 and Ladies’ size 7, this ring features the word ‘MUSTANG’ stamped in block lettering to match your ‘Stang’s bumper. The letters are black enamel and will look sharp on anyone’s finger.

Sterling Silver Mustang Script Ring — also available in a Ladies’ 7 and a Men’s 11, this ring features the word ‘MUSTANG’ in an elegant script.

Sterling Silver Mustang Running Pony Necklace — For the ladies delicate necks, this necklace comes on an 18" chain, and measures 3/4" wide by 1/8" tall. For the men, the pendant measures 1 and 1/4" wide by 7/16" tall and comes on an 18" chain. Made from highly detailed metal molds, each pendant is hand-filed and polished for a beautiful finish.

It’s that time again — time to show off your stuff and show the staff at AmericanMuscle.com how much you know about Mustangs! This latest contest will be all trivia, all the time. So fire up those brain cells — it’s time to play 20 Questions!

Three winners will be chosen at random from all correct entries received, and the following prizes will be awarded:

The contest is simple: there are 20 questions listed below. Answer them all, and submit your answers to contest@americanmuscle.com Please be sure to read this whole entry carefully, and don’t forget to read the rules at the end! Failure to follow all instructions will result in your disqualification.

The Questions!

1. How many colors total were available for the 1987 Mustang (looking for the number, not the colors)?

2. What was the Mustang II re-badged as?

3. Where and on what date was the Mustang introduced to the public for the first time?

4. What movie had the honor of being the first to use a Mustang in a movie?

5. The Mustang has been offered in six (6) Grabber colors. Name them.

6. What year did the millionth Mustang roll off the assembly line?

7. What was the final year the 5.0 Mustang LXs had black body side moldings?

8. How much more horsepower did the ’93 Cobra R make than the ’93 Cobra?

9. What was the name of the concept car that pre-dated the ’03 Cobra by 10 years, but featured a roots-supercharged, intercooled, 4V, 4.6L engine?

10. What new exterior color was introduced in 1999?

11. When was factory clearcoat paint first available for the Mustang?

12. What is the only year that the Cobra was offered in color code BZ (Chrome/Canary Yellow)?

13. What was the first year for a 140 mph speedometer on a 5.0L?

14. When were the 16" 5-star rims first offered?

15. When was Independent Rear Suspension (IRS) first used?

16. What was the first year for a 4-speed automatic transmission?

17. What special model made it’s third appearance in 2000?

18. Name the three (3) aftermarket tuner Mustangs that Ford sells with factory warranties (as of 12/05).

19. What year was the heated back glass introduced for the convertible?

20. What other Ford Vehicle — meaning NOT a Mustang — came with the 4.6L DOHC Cobra V8 engine and was initially only available in black?

We are active on a lot of forums, and we love to run contests on these boards, as well as in our blog. Recently, we ran a contest on Mustangforums.com. We asked forum members to submit a friend or family member — or themselves — to be considered. A panel of judges went over the entries and chose their top three, who were awarded three amazing prizes. Without further ado, here are the winners!

First Place — Winner of the SCT X3 Tuner and 1 Free Tune (for her husband), and a $75 gift certificate (for herself):

Shannon and Kyle Tyler!

Here’s what Shannon had to say about her husband, Kyle:

"Kyle and I met when we were both stationed in Korea, we got married and bought the Mustang at an Overseas Military car sales program. Since we’ve been in the states Kyle’s hobby and passion has been working on the car, most of the time getting new ideas from Mustang Forums. Back in June ’07 Kyle was deployed to Iraq with his unit, unfortunately since hes been gone he missed the birth of our first daughter, Lorelai. But he’s looking forward to coming home on R&R; he can’t wait to meet Lorelai, see the family, and work on the car. He’s been talking about putting a cold air intake in, something about a hood scoop, and a tuner.

As you can see by the pictures below there was an accident. On the 26th of October I was cut off by a Dodge Caliber on post. The good news is the shop says that the car can be repaired before he comes home. And thats why I’m entering this contest for him, he is so self-less; hes over there fighting right now and then I had to break the bad news about the car. And even after he saw the pictures he was just glad I was ok."

Pictures:

Second Place –– Winner of his choice of gears AND a $50 Gift Certificate (for nominating himself):

Mike Cox, Jr.!

What he had to say:
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"Well I don’t think I am a hero or amazing (my wife seems to think so and she told me I just have to do this since she hates computers), but I have been in the army since 2002. I was in Iraq for 14 months in 04-05 as a combat engineer with the 1st Cav. Since then I have re-classed and now I fix broken Apaches. I am currently in Afghanistan with the 82d Airborne. I have the best army wife ever and 3 great kids who love daddy’s mustangs, my youngest was 3 days old when I deployed to Iraq. I have an 88 LX convertible 5.0 and an 07 GT that I used my reenlistment bonus to get."

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Pictures:

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Third Place —Winner of a Billet Grille w/Pony Cutout AND a $25 Gift Certificate (for nominating himself):

Tracy Singer!

What he had to say:

"I’m Army Master Sergeant Singer, currently in Iraq. I’ve been serving on active duty for over 20 years and this is my 5th deployment (3rd in Iraq). I work with the Iraqi Army daily so that they can hopefully take control of the security mission and U.S. forces can depart. As part of our job, we perform combat patrols with the Iraqi Army (IA) several times a week (I stopped counting after 75). Why should I win? I deserve to win this no more than anyone else; we all serve our great nation. Without warriors, there would be no America. Without America, there would be no Mustangs. So, I guess we made Mustangs possible in a round-about fashion. (I’m kidding) Like many, I’m married to a wonderful gal and we have two beautiful children. Sorry, no pics of them on the Internet. In my (rare) free time, I’m also a college student finishing a BA."

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All three winners will also receive t-shirts for every member of their squad!

Congratulations to the winners, and thank you to everyone that participated! We appreciate your hard work and dedication more than you know. Take care of yourselves, and come home safely!